Combined sifter and mixer.



S. TODA.

COMBINED SIFTER AND MIXER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28. 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

awwentoz JazMa 1'0 Todw wi/liwwooeo THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. FHOTO-LITHO. WASH/NGION. D c

S. TODA.

COMBINED SIPTER AND MIXER.

APPLICATION FILED JANZB. 1914.

1,121,31 1, Patented Dec. 15,1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEBT 2.

WLWMMMZ THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LlTHcq WASHINGTON. D. C

U FTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOZABURO TODA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED SIFTER Ann MIXER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed January 28, 1914. Serial No. 814,991.

Sifters and Mixers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined mixers and sifters for flour and like commodities, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device; which may be employed as a mixer when held in one position and as a sifter when held in another position.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 isa perspective view of the improved device arranged for use as a mixer. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the movable and adjustable screen or sifter element. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional.

elevation. Fig. 1 is a transverse section on the line 4l1 of Fig. 3 showing the screen and cut-off closed. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the screen element and cut-ofi in open position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and inclicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device comprises a cage or casing, preferably cylindrical in outline and formed with circular ends 10-11 and a cylindrical shell or connecting portion 12 extending between the ends with relatively large openings in its opposite sides as indicated at 13. The openings 13 are less in length than the distance between the ends 10-11 whereby overhanging portions 14 of the shell 12 are produced.

A shaft 15 is stepped at 16 in the end 11 and passes through the end 10 and extends for a considerable distance beyond the end 10 and terminates in an operating crank 17. The shaft is located at one side of the center of the ends 1011, or nearer the opening 13 than the opposite side of the shell, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

A screen is located within the shell and is preferably formed with an inclosing frame 18 which supports the screen material represented conventionally at 19. V is adapted to be located over one of the openings 13 and when thus disposed the frame 18 bears against the overhanging.

portionsll of the shell, as illustrated in Fig. 3 and against the remaining edges of the opening .13, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Extending from the screen frame 18 at one side is a finger lug 20 which projects beyond the outer face of the shell and performs the twofold function of a means for moving the screen within the shell and likewise limiting the movement of the screen in two directions. An imperforate closure 45 is likewise located within the shell and adapted to cover the other opening 13 when in one position as shown in Fig. 1, and provided with an outwardly directed finger lug 16 which projects through the adjacent opening and serves the same purpose for the closure 15 as the lug 20 for the screen. Directed inwardly from the ends 10-?11 of the shell are guide ribs 21, the ribs being concentric to the shell and preferably formed by beading the metal of the ends inwardly, as represented in Figs. 1 and 3. Located between the guide'ribs 21 and the frame 18 of the screen are springs 22 preferably secured intermediate their ends, as shown at 23, to the frame 18 and bearing at their ends only upon the ribs." Similar springs 47 are connected to the closure 45 and bear upon the ribs 21, as shown, and support the closure frictionally in position. By this means the screen and closure are supported yieldably in position relative'to the ribs and the shell and bear constantly against the inner surface of the shell 12, no matter in what position the screen or closure may be placed. The screen frame and closure are thus maintained in constant contact with the interior of the shell both when The screenclosed and when open, this movement being at 39 around the pivot 34.

Mounted on the shaft 15 and rotative therewith are hubs 26, and connected to the hubs and radiating therefrom are U-shaped agitators 27. Any required number of the agitators may be employed, but three will generally be used as shown. Extending between the shaft 15 and the agitators27 are a plurality of radial blades 28 spaced apart and coacting with the agitators 27 as hereafter explained. Supporting feet 29 are connected to the shell 12 at the side opposite to the opening 13 and are designed to support the shell upon a table or other body with the opening 13 upper-most, and thus prevent the escape of the contents of the shell while the agitator is being actuated,

. as hereafter explained.

-The outer portion of the shaft 15 extendsthrough the outer closed end of the member 32 as represented in Figs. 1 and 3. Pivoted at 34 to the member 32 is another shelllike portion 35 which operates to close the opening of the member 32 when the two members 32-35 are disposed in parallel relation, as represented in Figs. 1 andtp.vv The edges of the member 35 overlap the member 32 and the overlapping edges are preferably formed with a relatively long curve 3.6,

the latter being provided with graduations indicated at 37. Located within, the members 3235 is a U-shaped spring represented conventionally at 38 and coiled as shown One terminal of the member 38' is coiled as represented at '40around the shaft 15, while the other terminal of the member 38 is connected at 41 to the member 35. By this means the spring 38 operates to maintain the members 32-35 yieldably in closed position, as repsented in Fig. 3, while at the same time the member 35 may be swung upon its pivot 34 away from the member 32. The portion of the member 32 which is overlapped by the member 35 is provided with graduations indicatedat 42 which. coact with the graduations 37' to indicate the weight of the contents of the shell, but as the weighing portion of the improved device is the subject-matter of another application it is not deemed necessary to further describethis portion of the device.

I The members 32-435 when in closedposition'coact to form a hand grip to enable the shell to be supported during the mixing or sifting action.

A device thus constructed will be found very useful for sifting and mixing flour and other ingredients for bread, cake, pastry, or the like, and may be of any required size or capacity and may be employed for domestic purposes or in bakeries or large manufactories of a similar nature.

-With a device thus constructed the operation is as follows: "When the operator desires to sift flour without mixing it, he grasps the handle by one hand and closes the screen with the other; then turns the shell over so that the other opening will be upper-most and forces back the imperforate closure 45 and dips the shell into the receptacle containing the mass of flour, or otherwise deposits the flour in the shell. He then holds the device over a suitable receptacle with the screen downward and rotates the agitator by rotary motion applied to the crank 17. If the operator desires to both mix and sift the flour and other materials he moves the member 45 into closed position and moves the screen into open position and deposits the material in the shell and then closes the screen. The shell is then supported upon a table by the feet 29 and the agitator operated by rotating the crank 17 for a sufi'icient length of time to thoroughly mix the material. The shell is then reversed in position to bring the screen downwardlyand the agitator again operated to discharge the material through the screen and thus sift it. The mixing and screening process may be continued as long as may benecessary. Any material which may be too bulky to pass through the screen remains in the shell and may be removed bysimply displacing the screen from beneath the open,- ing 13 and inverting the shell.

The interior of the shell, it will be noted, is readily accessible through the openings 13 when the screen is displaced, for cleansing or repairs.

The portion 12 ofthe shell is provided with a pluralityof longitudinally extending indicators 43, preferably produced by pressing the metal outwardly, as indicated in' Fig. 4, the lines 43 being located'at points to indicate the contents of the shell, such as half pints, pints, quarts, and the like.

The portion 35 of the hand grip is rough ened as at 44 to increase the grip and prevent the hand of the operator from slipping, the roughened portions being preferably produced by pressing the metal outwardly in parallel lines, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: f H

1. A combined sifter andmixer compris ing a body formed'of imperforate material and having an opening, a screen movable within said body and covering said opening when in one position, guides for the screen within the body and around which the screen is movable, and yieldable means between the screen and the guides.

2. A combined sifter and mixer comprising a body formed of imperforate material and having an opening, a screen movable within said body and covering said opening when in one position, guides for the screen within'the body and concentric to the same and around which the screen is movable, and yieldable means between the screen and the guides and maintaining the screen constantly in frictional engagement with the interior of the body.

3. A combined sifter and mixer comprising a body formed of imperforate material and having an opening, a screen movable within said body and covering said opening when in one position, guides for the screen within the body, and springs between the screen and the guides.

4. A combined sifter and mixer comprising a body formed of imperforate material and having an opening, a screen movable within said body and covering said opening when in one position, a hand grip extending from the body, a rotative support .extending through said body and through said hand grip, an agitator device carried by said support, and means operating to maintain said screen yieldably in engagement with said body.

5. A combined sifter and mixer compris: ing a body havingan opening, a screen movable. within said body and covering said opening when in one position, a hand grip extending from said body, a rotative member extending through said body .and through said hand grip, an agitatordevice carried by said rotative member, guides con centric to said body, and yieldable devices operating between said screen and guides.

6. A combined mixer and sifter comprising a body having openings spaced apart, a screen movable within said body and covering one of said openings when in one position, an imperforate member adapted to close the other opening when in one position, guides for the screen and imperforate member within the body, yieldable means between the guides and screen, and yieldable means between the guides and imperforate member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SOZABURO TODA. Witnesses ALFRED KARLsoN, CHARLOTTE E. KARLsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.! 

